Gate-hinge



1,374,437. Y Appiieation nieavs'epteiabeyr 27, 1920. sealara. 412,929. 1

UNITED STATES* PATENT oFl-lcn- ,JAMES oo'oMBs, or

Y T o all fio/wm t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. CooMBs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Vashington, have invented anew and useful Gate-Hinge, of which the following is aspeciication.

My invention relatesto improvements in gate hinges, or the like, in which -ball bearings are utilized to effect theresults obtained; and the objects of my improvement are to provide ahinge for a gate that in operation will cause the gate to be slow-moving, self-closing and practically noiseless.

l attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a vertical sectional view of the hinge and the bracket on which it is mounted; Fig. 2 is anelevation of a portion ofthe hinge, showing an exterior spiral groove and a portion of an interior spiral groove located in reversed relation, said grooves .affording channels for ballV bearings; Fig.

3 is a front elevation of said bracket and a spindle having a spiral groove,l about which other portions of the hinge are adapted to rotate; Fig. 4 illustrates aV gate post and gate mounted thereon, with said hinge in operative position.

Referring to the drawings, the device comprises the casing l, its interior beingv circular in cross-section. 2 represents an integral lug, interiorly threaded, by whichv the gate is attached to the hinge, and 3 ay cap for the casing. 4'is a hollow cylindrical member which lits into and practically conforms to the interior of the body of the casing. It is provided on its exterior surface with a spiral groove 5, which is complementary to a spiral groove 6 located in the interior surface of the casing. Said member is also provided with an interior spiral groove 7, which is placedin reversed relation to the groove on the outside of said member. -8 is a spindle lixedly attachedtoa flat, circular base 11, said base also serving as the bottom of the casing. This spindle is provided with a spiralgroove 9, which is complementary to the interior spiral groove of member 4. When the hinge is assembled, it presents a structure wherein the spindle 9 and the portion 11 comprise the central `portion of the device and its base, concentric with the spindle the member 4 resting on the (JiSpcciicaton of Letters Patent;

SEATTLEWASHINGTON, A SSlG'NOR 04F ONE-HALE TO THOMAS H.A MLAZI'OlEt,j OF SEATTLEWASHINGTON.

base, saidpar-ts befinglcovered i and 'concentric therewith;the casing also resting on the base. The grooves heretofore mentioned, when the parts are thusv as-l sembled, present ball races circular incrosssection, as shownatlO; said races to be filled ,with ball bearings. As it will be noted in cap. The cap, however, rests upon the cas- I ing and the 'member 4, so as to prevent the top edge ofsaid member from rising above the top edge of the casing while the hinge is in motion. 12 illustrates abracket to which` the hinge is attached. InFig. 4 isshown the Y method of attaching the hinge to an ironr gate, through the means of the threaded lug 2 on the hinge and a threaded pipe on j the gate. 13 designates means for attaching the upper portion of the gate to the post,

the pin permitting an up and down play to correspond with a like motion of the hinge during its operation.

It will be noted that in Fig. l ithe casing is shown asraised from the base. `This illustrates the position of the hinge when-l the gate is opened. Upon the release of the gate, its weight, coperating with this ballhv bearing hinge, causes the gate to be closed,

slowly and noiselessly, the ball bearings creating less friction and wear to the parts than usually occur in gate hinges. In this device, there are no springs to lose their elasticity, the wearing parts areprotected 1 from 'the weather, and its construction in sures durability. i 1

The preferred form of the racesforthe ball bearings is that of spiral grooves vas described, but changes inand modifications of said construction may bev made without departing from the spiritof my inventionor f sacrificing its advantages.

I claim:

l. A device of the class described, com- -l prising av spindle, a member concentric.

therewith and a casing concentric with vsaid spindle and member, a plurality of ball bearings operatively disposed between said spindle and member and between said member and casing, whereby said hinge has free v lateral movement to thefright or left and will, when operatively placed, return to its normal, closed position, means for supporting said hinge and' Vfor lattaching a gate thereto. j Y' Y Y a 2. A hinge, comprising a Casing having a removable top, said casing provided in 7 teriorly with a spiral groove, mounted Within the Casing, a oylindrioalmember provided eXteriorly with a spiral groove complementary to said groove in the casing and a spiral groove interiorly, said last named groove being' located in reversed relation to the n to 'said hinge.

Aexterior groove of said member, a second cylindrical member rotatably mounted Within the first member, provided Withfa spiral groove complementary to *said` interior 15y groove of the first member, a plurality of ball bearings operatively located in said grooves, and means whereby lateral and up andk down movements maybe imparted JAMES woooMBs. 

